I recently purchased an Arcteryx Beta SL jacket and found that the cuffs soak through when they come into contact with water. The rest of the jacket beads water amazingly. Is it common for a jackets cuffs to not be waterproof?

I have never experienced anything like what you are describing. Seems very unusual to me. I don't have any arcteryx though, maybe it is a new feature in their product line. Seriously though that seems very not right to me.
Nice looking Dog BTW.

Edited by frankenfeet on 04/11/2010 21:13:42 MDT.

Do you mean water gets under them or really soaks right through them?

I have zero experience with Gore-Tex PacLite material jackets. By I've owned and still own a Sidewinder SV and Alpha SV and those things are bombproof/firehose proof.

Yeah perhaps you could clarify so we are crystal clear here. Is water getting into the jacket thru the cuff opening or do you mean that water is getting into the jacket by the way of soaking thru the jacket at the cuff area? My initial read made me think that you were saying water was soaking thru the jacket at the cuff area which is not at all cool. Now if some water is getting into the jacket by entering thru the cuff opening area that is another thing altogether and not quite so unusual at all.

Edited by frankenfeet on 04/12/2010 08:36:03 MDT.

Water actually soaks the fabric on the cuffs about an inch up from the end. It does not bead off like the rest of the jacket. It's almost looks like these areas were not treated. I know it sounds strange.

Sounds like it might be time for an exchange or return.

Doesn't sounds strange at all. Sounds like the DWR has just worn off the cuff area. Cuffs are one of the first places to wear. DWR is what is responsible for water beading up. When it wears off, the jacket is still waterproof, but only because of the goretex.

He said that he recently purchased it so it would be surprising if it saw so much use as to wear off already.

Have often have you been using the jacket? How recently did you get it?

Did you purchase the jacket new or used and how much have you been using it?
If it was used Jack could be right.
If it was new and hasn't seen much use something is wrong.

Edited by frankenfeet on 04/12/2010 11:01:24 MDT.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I've only had the jacket a week so I decided to call Moosejaw (where I made the purchase) and they didn't think it was normal either and are going to exchange the jacket. The customer service at the Ann Arbor store is outstanding. I appreciate everyone's input.

I would just grab a bottle of DWR and give the wrists a little spray yourself. That's much easier than mailing it back and waiting weeks for another one.

....personally I would return it. I obviously disagree with the previous post. In the era of priority mail this should not take weeks to accomplish either. I am glad we could help solve your problem and it sounds like you have a few options to explore. Good luck with the solution you choose.

Edited by frankenfeet on 04/12/2010 11:52:22 MDT.

I was thinking about picking one of these up as a bombproof shell that will last for years to come, but after hearing about your cuffs wetting out, I am a little concerned. I'd like to hear back on your new one.

+1 on cuffs wearing out. It is an area very prone to abrasion and oils from your hands. My cuffs were the among the first things to wear out on an old Precip.

Mike,

I've been starting to notice a dichotomy within Arc'Teryx gear. Basically they seem to have their 500 dollar jackets which stay true to their reputation then they have their 200 dollar jackets which try to capitalize on their reputation. This is also true of their packs etc.

My advice is wait for the 500 dollar jacket to be on sale and buy it. Do not just pay full pice for the 200 dollar one. You're not getting the same quality/construction ...even brand really. It's totally different stuff.

So other than the cuffs wetting, what do you think of it? Why that jacket over the other options? It is on my short list (along w/Marmot Nano or Super Mica, Mountain Hardwear Quark, and possible the Pat. M10) to replace my Patagonia Specter pullover, which has been great, but is wearing out in a few places.

Edited by IPARider on 04/12/2010 12:58:18 MDT.

No experience with any of the other jackets but the Alpha SV is without question the nicest piece of clothing I own. Impervious to the elements and remarkably breathable. The thing lists for $599--it was a gift; I would not have bought it for that much money--but, wow, it's just an amazing piece of gear. You can walk all day in the pouring rain and be completely warm and dry.

-H

+1 Alex and Henry. The Alpha SV is one of the few items of clothing that is still being made in Canada, while all their lower end ( can you believe $200+ is lower end for this company???) jackets are being made in China. Their packs are largely made in the Phillipines (I think they still make certain componenets of the packs in Canada). Simply put Arcteryx is not the same company it was 5 years ago...not saying they don't have good quality gear...just that its not the same as it was before, and they shouldn't be able to charge what they do given the offshore construction. The alpha SV still remains the tank, along with other jackets like the Theta SV...their other jackets like the beta jackets, or most other ones with the SL designation, are nothing special anymore. They are definitely making their money due to the branding associated with their name...anyone check out their website lately? They've moved on to designing business casual clothing as part of their lineup. Truth is, their materials aren't revolutionary either...they just happen to have a contract with goretex, who is a marketing giant in itself.
While the Alpha SV is still a great jacket, its really just overkill for the majority of users, including myself. This observation is of course made in hindsight...but for all those looking to get a rain shell by arcteryx, there are better materials out there, and lighter jackets, that will leave you equally protected for the majority of pursuits you intend on using it for. Look into jackets using eVent by Rab, or membrain strata jackets by Marmot. I've taken my Marmot essence on light mountaineering trips, and it works fine...would probably never survive a really bad self arrest scenario, but as far as protection from the elements, its an A+ performer, at only 6oz. I've used my rab drillium on snowboard trips...i'm not a very good snowboarder, so I do fall, and have slid on crusty/icy snow for many yards at a time, dragging me and my jacket down...but the jackets fine and shows no wear

Edited by Konrad1013 on 02/03/2013 14:35:08 MST.

I have a 4 month old, made in China Alpha SL pullover whoose construction I'd put up against any other shell. It's been used a fair bit during our warm winter, and still beads water perfectly (cuffs too!).

I typically use all the Sidewinder Alpha SV stuff for skiing. I end up skiing in the backcountry a lot and I spend a solid 4-5 days a week out of my winters skiing. That's when it pays off to have the higher end ProShell. Mostly because of durability. I wouldn't say I come close to "testing" the gear at all. In fact most of the wear comes from being thrown stuffed in to a pack with ski boots etc.

Food for thought though, most n00bs that start skiing/boarding buy "cheap" gear to look the part. When in fact they should be the ones getting the uber waterproof stuff. Bombing through fresh powder in the BC is not the same as face sliding down icy groomers under a lift. One of them being much harder on your gear. The marketing on this is quite backwards.

I don't spend much time on my butt. However, most new snowboarders do. That's why when my GF started boarding I told her to get the Sidewinder and the matching bib pants. Sure it's not cute pink Roxy stuff. But she loves being warm and dry. Where I know plenty of others who are miserable from snow getting down their pants, materials leaking etc from buying Burton trendy type "cute" gear. Now that she's getting better she can go with trendy gear for looks vs performance.

When it comes to how that carries over to backpacking, well that 200 dollar jacket if it wasn't ArcTeryx would be a 50 dollar generic jacket. As for their high end stuff. I own it, trust it and recommend it.